I rode my bike to the beach today. I have a backpack that includes a clip system to fasten it to the carrier frame of my bike (my computer bag is the same), so I filled it with sketchbook, pencil case, bathing suit, towel, and a bag of personal items including sunblocker. I clipped it to the bike, put on my helment, closed the house, and wobbled off down the driveway.
Most of the road to the park has a paved verge that is suitable for riding, almost a bike lane in itself. My bike has rear-view mirrors, and I could see and hear cars approaching me from behind. There was no problem getting to the park.
As I rode my bike up to the park gates, I was among a snorting mass of cars and trucks all paying, but the park staff just waved me through. Man, that felt good. 
I rode down to the beach.
The beach was even more crowded, if possible, than a few days before. Every bench, picnic table, parking spot, and square metre of sand seemed to be taken. People were changing into their bathing suits in the washroom building. (They really need to put up some actual changerooms. And they don’t need to be substantial structures, the way the washroom buildings are.)
At first I just sat on the only unoccupied bench I could find, near the washrooms. I sketched. I was getting in some practice drawing people: not drawing specific people around me, but working out questions in my mind. How does the shoulder muscle join the arm? What happens with the lower leg? I just had to wait a little, and some one would walk by displaying the anatomy in question.
Later, I needed to use the washroom, so I locked my bike to the bench and went in. I also changed into my bathing suit. Afterwards, I walked my bike over to the beach, I locked it to a tall sign that warned, “NO LIFEGUARDS! Parents keep control of your children!” Then I claimed a couple of square metres of sand by spreading out my towel.
Beach etiquette seems to work quite well: everyone avoids everyone else’s stuff, picking their way delicately around it if need be. I had a bright green plastic bag among my stuff, so that I could find it with my nearsighted vision when coming back from the water. I do not wear contact lenses or glasses when in the water. (Nearsightedness is really annoying when I am at the beach; it means that I can’t see all the pretty women around me…) I must look into prescription swim goggles sometime.
The water was quite warm, and at that end of the beach, the bottom was mostly sandy, except for an annoying rocky pebbly zone right along the water’s edge. I went in and started to practice swimming. I am finding that not only is swimming good exercise, but that it is a lot easier on my knees than running. So, too, is bicycling. I think that I will do these instead of the running that my friend does.
In the water, I discovered that I can move my whole body instead of just my arms and legs when swimming. This is more exhilarating, even. At some point, I should take swimming lessons. I need to know how to do that breathing thing while swimming–I’ve been holding my breath and letting my head go under at times. And I’m still figuring out the whole art of floating on my back. (I must be unusually dense–I don’t seem to float with any part of me above water.)
I was in and out of the water, spending the time between baking on the beach and renewing my sunblocker.
Around 4PM I decided to leave; I needed to reserve some energy for the ride home. So I packed up, unlocked my bike, and left. When I got home, there were curried potatoes and other good food waiting. (Did I mention that the friends I’m living with are vegetarians, and I’m learning some new cooking, as well as hopefully getting in better shape?)
